Adhesive-free carpet tiles and methods of installing adhesive-free carpet tiles

ABSTRACT

Cushion backed carpet tiles and carpet tile installations which can be installed without adhesives are described. The carpet tiles are manufactured according to rigid specifications in order that no corner of any of the individual tiles is {fraction (1/16)}″ or greater off the floor due to curl, and no corner on the tile has cup of greater than {fraction (3/16)}″. In this way, a substantially to entirely adhesive-free carpet tile installation can be achieved, with the installation being capable of withstanding the rigors of a variety of typical types of wear, such as rolling traffic, etc., without shifting or snowplowing over adjacent tiles.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention generally relates to cushion on foam backed carpettile installations which can be installed with minimal or no adhesive,the cushion or foam backed carpet tiles used for the installations andthe methods associated with the use of low or no adhesive cushion orfoam backed carpet tiles. More specifically, the invention relates tocushion backed carpet tile installations which are substantially freelylaid with minimal or no adhesive, yet which retain their positionthroughout the rigors of use, and which can withstand rolling trafficwithout undesirable lateral shifting.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Carpet tile assemblies are widely used as floor coverings, asthey provide a number of advantages over their broadloom counterparts.Because such tiles are provided in relatively small dimensions, e.g.generally in the form of 18 inch by 18 inch, or 36 inch by 36 inchsquares, they can be used to achieve a variety of visual design effects.In addition, the lifespan of the overall floor covering can beincreased, as individual tiles that become stained or damaged can berepaired of replaced without the need for replacement of the entirefloor covering.

[0003] In addition, the installation of carpet tiles can in some casesbe preferable to the installation of broadloom (i.e. wall-to-wall type)carpet, since the tiles can be selected and cut to conform to cornersand irregularities in the floor dimension. In contrast, it can often bedifficult to cut a large piece of broadloom to exact conformance withthe room, since it can be difficult to integrate a number ofirregularities or corners at once. Furthermore, because it is generallyconsidered to be desirable to minimize the number of seams in abroadloom carpet installation, it is often the case that the largestpiece of broadloom carpet available for use in a particular roominstallation is selected. This can present challenges with respect tostorage and transport in addition to the obvious difficulties associatedwith working with a large piece of material during installation.

[0004] However, heretofore in actual practice it has not been possibleto fully maximize the advantages associated with carpet tiles.Specifically, conventional methods for the installation of carpet tilesrequire the use of relatively strong adhesives to bond the tiles to theexisting floor structure. In one common installation method, theinstaller coats the floor with an adhesive, allows the adhesive to setup, then secures the tiles to the floor by pressing them onto theadhesive. Typically, this involves spreading a layer of adhesive overthe entire floor surface.

[0005] As will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in theart, this method requires that the installer sit or stand on theinstalled tiles, since he cannot step on the adhesive-covered floor.This can result in inadvertent slipping of the tiles as the adhesive iscuring due to shifts in the installer's body weight as he reaches toinstall the next tile. This can in turn lead to irregularities in theappearance of the installation. In addition, the process can be awkwardsince the installer is forced to pull the tiles into position, and canresult in a failure to achieve a tight junction between adjacent tiles.Furthermore, this method makes it possible for the carpet tiles tobecome damaged or soiled by the installer as they are installed.Therefore, the skill of the installer can be a critical factor in theoverall quality and look of the carpet tile installation.

[0006] A further difficulty associated with the use of adhesivelyattached tiles is that the wet adhesives typically include volatileorganic compounds (VOCs). To reduce any potential health risks to theinstaller from breathing too many fumes, it is generally considered tobe important to insure that the installation environment has adequateventilation to remove the adhesive fumes.

[0007] A further disadvantage of adhesive installed carpet tiles is thecost associated with the adhesive material and the time and manpowerassociated with the application of the adhesive. There is also a costassociated with the inefficient recycle, refurbishment or reuse of thetiles since many carpet tiles are damaged during removal and must bediscarded by land filling, incineration or other methods none of whichare environmentally desirable.

[0008] To overcome the problems associated with the installation ofcarpet tiles using wet adhesives, it has been proposed to provide thetiles with a pre-coat of adhesive, which is protected by a releasesheet. While eliminating some of the problems associated with VOCs andthe like, this method presents several of its own disadvantages not theleast of which is added material costs and production costs.

[0009] Also, the release sheets, which are generally in the form of acoated paper sheet, must be disposed of following their removal from thesquares. In addition, if a portion of the release sheet on a tile comesloose, the underlying surface of the tile bottom surface can lose itsadhesive capabilities, meaning that the tile will not be fully securedto the floor structure about the entire dimension of the tile. This canparticularly become an issue when the tiles must be cut to accommodatecorners of a room or other irregularities in the room dimension.Similarly, if a portion of a release sheet comes loose from a tileprematurely, the adhesive can stick to an adjacent tile, which canresult in damage to one or both of the tiles when the tiles aresubsequently separated.

[0010] The use of a pre-coat adhesive does not mitigate the costassociated with materials or the problems associated with carpet tileswhich are damaged upon removal of adhesive attached tiles.

[0011] A further disadvantage associated with the two above-describedadhesive and pre-cost installation methods is that they require that theflooring to which the carpet tiles are to be secured be extremely cleanand dry. Any dirt, dust or other foreign matter present (as well asflooring irregularities) can interfere with proper adhesive attachmentof the carpet tile.

[0012] In addition, the removal of the adhesively-attached tilespresents problems in itself. In some cases, removal of the tiles canresult in damage to or destruction of the tiles (or floor); this isparticularly disadvantageous in view of the emerging methods forrecycling and refurbishing used carpet tiles, which require that thetiles be substantially undamaged for them to be available for furtherprocessing. In addition, adhesive material that remains on the rearsurface of carpet tiles can adversely affect the appearance of therefurbished tiles.

[0013] Such residual adhesive also presents problems for the flooring towhich the tiles were attached, as it can be difficult as well as laborintensive to remove all of the adhesive. In fact, some property ownersare hesitant to install carpet tiles, out of concern over the effects ofthe adhesive on the existing flooring when the tiles are removed. Thisis a particular problem if carpet tiles are to be used most efficiently.One great advantage to carpet tiles is the ability to replace individualtiles instead of the entire carpet. If a single tile, or a small sectionof tiles, is removed it is extremely difficult to clean the adhesiveremaining on the floor without deleterious effects on the remainingtiles. This has thwarted efforts to expand the usage of carpet tilessince a major advantage is diminished by the remaining adhesive.

[0014] Carpet tiles are generally provided in the form of squares ofcarpeting material secured to a relatively thin, rigid backing, which isdesigned to assist the tile in remaining flat on the floor. Because theindividual tiles have relatively small perimeter dimensions, a bodytraveling across a carpet-tiled expanse comes into contact with a numberof tile edges at the junctures of adjacent tiles. Similarly, a bodyrolled across a carpet-tiled expanse results in the individual tilescontacted being subjected to lateral forces, which can cause a tile topress laterally against an adjacent tile. It therefore frequentlyresults that the lateral forces cause tiles to pop out over the edge(s)of the adjacent tiles. It is for this reason that the provision of astrong adhesive layer bonding the carpet tiles to the floor hasconventionally been seen to be so critical.

[0015] Attempts have been made to provide substitutes for the adhesivebonding of the carpet tiles to the floor. For example, U.S. Pat. No.4,731,275 to Andersen describes a carpet tile assembly designed toresist lateral movement. The assembly includes a layer of elastomericmaterial vulcanized to the carpet layer, with a plurality of protrusionsand spikes being provided thereon for mating with a base layer ofmaterial, such as a felt-like fiber mat. This assembly thereforerequires that the base layer be secured to the floor, which would adddramatically to the cost of installation. Furthermore, while theAndersen patent purports to address the problems associated with theremoval of adhesives from the floor, the method contemplates the use ofadhesives as an option for securing the base layer to the floor.

[0016] U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,353 to Gable, Jr. describes interlockingcarpet tiles. Each tile has shaped side edges so that the tiles caninterlock with adjacent tiles to minimize movement of the tiles inrelation to each other. The Gable patent discusses the fact thatfree-lay tiles have a tendency to buckle, curl and warp after use. TheGable tiles are described as also having a bottom layer of thermoplasticmaterial, with the material having indentations or other designs on itsbottom surface, in order to increase the coefficient of friction withthe floor. As will be readily appreciated by those of ordinary skill inthe art, this construction requires additional manufacturing expense andthe construction would be much more difficult to install thanconventional carpet tiles due to the interlocking nature of theindividual tiles.

[0017] Similarly, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,010,301 and 4,010,302 to Anderson etal. describe carpet tiles designed to have, among other things, improvedfloor hugging properties. To this end, the carpet tiles described in the'301 and '302 patents include a backing layer of thermoplastic material(e.g. natural or synthetic rubber, or thermoplastic material) having aseries of friction-increasing indentations or corrugations. The backinglayer is illustrated as being relatively thick, and is described asbeing applied in the form of a relatively stiff plastisol, leveled by adoctor blade, heated and embossed by an embossing roll to formindentations on the bottom surface.

[0018] As discussed in Textiles for Residential and CommercialInteriors, by Jan Yeager, (1988), pp. 334-335, the disclosure of whichis incorporated herein by reference, attempts have been made to produce“free lay” carpet tiles of the rigid carpet tile variety. However, itwas recognized that such installations could only be used where heavyrolling traffic would not be expected, as such would have a “snowplow”effect, raising the edges of the tiles. In an attempt to achieve a rigidfree lay carpet tile, it was suggested to apply a heavy secondarybacking (e.g. through the application of a heavy secondary backing suchas alternate layers of heavy-gauge vinyl and glass fiber scrims) toprovide increased dimensional stability. Even with this reinforcement,it was suggested that it would be desirable in many cases to glue downat least 10-20% of the carpet tiles in order to achieve satisfactoryperformance. Therefore, although prior products have categorizedthemselves as “free lay”, such terminology is understood in the art todescribe products having a reduced amount of adhesive securing them tothe floor, such adhesive typically being applied in a grid pattern.

[0019] Since the introduction of carpet tiles, advances have been madein their construction, including the development of carpet tiles havingcushion backings. Such tiles have been found to provide superior comfortto individuals walking on, standing on, or otherwise using theinstallations. Because the cushion tiles do not typically have the heavyrigid reinforcement of their rigid carpet tile counterparts, it wouldtherefore be expected that the cushion backed tiles would require evenmore adhesive to obtain satisfactory securement to the floor,particularly where rolling traffic would be expected. For example,carpet tile manufacturers recommend that manufacturers use at least agrid of adhesive material to secure hard-back tiles, while recommendingthe use of a full adhesive layer beneath cushion-backed tiles.

[0020] Commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,857 describes a priorattempt to produce free-lay cushion backed carpet tiles. Whilerepresenting an advance over the prior art, the carpet tiles describedin that patent still required the use of a grid of adhesive to keep themin proper position during use, particularly when encountering rollingtraffic.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The instant invention is directed to a cushion back on foam backcarpet tile which can be installed without the use of significantamounts of adhesive material, and preferably with no adhesive securingit to the floor.

[0022] It has been discovered by the inventor that by manufacturing thecushion or foam backed tiles within specific physical parameters, aninstallation having good stability and capable of withstanding rollingtraffic can be achieved using minimal to no adhesive. In particular, ithas been found that by manufacturing cushion backed carpet tiles havingparticular low amounts of cup and curl, they can be used to form entireinstallations which retain their position on the floor without the needfor adhesive. For purposes of this invention, the term “cup” describesthe amount a carpet tile comes up off of the floor (cups up) while theterm “curl” describes the amount a corner curls up from the floor.

[0023] The cup and curl of the carpet tiles of the present invention aredesirably measured as follows:

[0024] The tile is placed in a conditioned room (i.e. at 60° F. and 20%relative humidity) for at least 4 hours. The tile is marked so that themachine direction during fabrication (typically marked with arrows onthe rear of the tile) is indicated. The tile is then placed face up(i.e. pile surface up, cushion surface down) on a flat surface, with themachine direction directed forward. Starting with the closest corner onthe right side, the tester measures the distance from the flat surfaceto the base of the corner. Preferably, this curl measurement is measuredto the nearest {fraction (1/32)} of an inch or less. The tile is thenrotated 90°, and the process repeated for the next corner. This processis repeated until the curl has been measured for each corner.

[0025] The tile is then flipped over so that the pile surface is down onthe flat surface. The distance of the base of each corner (the free endor face of the pile) from the flat surface is again measured todetermine the degree of cup for each corner.

[0026] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the carpet tiles of the instant invention are manufacturedaccording to strict manufacturing requirements such that no corner ofany tile has a cup of greater than {fraction (3/16)}″, and no corner hasa curl of greater than {fraction (1/16)}″. Even more preferably, suchthat no corner of any tile has a cup of greater than {fraction (2/16)}″or a curl of greater than {fraction (1/32)}″. Most preferably, such thatevery corner has a cup of less than {fraction (2/16)}″ and a curl ofless than {fraction (2/16)}″. In contrast, the current standards for theconventional glue-down cushion-backed product are that the corners havea cup of {fraction (7/32)}″ or greater and a curl of {fraction (3/32)}″or greater.

[0027] The individual cushion backed carpet tiles made according to thespecifications of the present invention described above can be used toprovide floor covering installations having a plurality of carpet tiles,which can withstand a variety of types of traffic, including rollingtraffic, without the need for adhesives. Within the installation, it istherefore desirable that none of the tiles has an average cup of greaterthan {fraction (3/16)}″, an average curl of less than {fraction(1/16)}″, no corner with a cup of greater than {fraction (3/16)}″, andno corner has a curl of greater than {fraction (1/16)}″. Even morepreferably, no corner of any tile in the installation has a cup ofgreater than {fraction (2/16)}″ or a curl of greater than {fraction(2/16)}″.

[0028] The carpet tiles of the present invention can be of any desireddimension; however, the preferred shape is that of a square tile.Particularly preferred are tiles which are either 18″×18″, 36″×36″, 50cm×50 cm, or 1m×1m. However, tiles having different dimensions andshapes can also be utilized within the scope of the instant invention.

[0029] The tiles can also be of any desired thickness. Tiles having athickness of about 0.15″ to 0.75″ are preferred. More preferably thetiles have a thickness of about 0.20″ to about 0.55″. Particularlypreferred are carpet tiles with a thickness of about 0.25″ to 0.45″.Even more specifically, the cushion backing on each of the tilesdesirably has a thickness of about 4 mm to 8 mm. More preferably, thecushion backing has a thickness of about 0.10″ to about 0.25″. Mostpreferably the tile has a cushion backing with a thickness of about0.20″. The carpet or pile fabric of the carpet tiles can be of any type,including cut pile, loop pile, cut and loop pile, tufted, bonded, woven,non-woven, or the like. As will be appreciated by those of ordinaryskill in the art, the overall thickness of the carpet tile will varyaccording to the type of pile forming the upper surface of the carpettile and the type of cushion or backing. The tiles can also beconstructed in any conventional manner, provided the structuralparameters described above can be achieved. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,397,900;4,522,857; 4,647,484; 4,871,603; 4,540,968; 5,545,276; 5,929,145; and5,948,500 describe exemplary carpet tile constructions and productionprocesses, and are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

[0030] It is an object of the present invention to provide a method oflaying or installing no adhesive cushion or foam backed carpet tiles toa surface comprising the steps of:

[0031] a) reversibly securing or temporarily attaching at least oneindicator carpet tile to the floor or surface with a securing means ordevice;

[0032] b) placing a second carpet tile on the surface wherein the secondcarpet tile and the indicator carpet tile abut;

[0033] c) placing a third carpet tile on the surface wherein the thirdcarpet tile abuts at least one indicator carpet tile and the secondcarpet tile;

[0034] d) placing a subsequent carpet tile on the surface wherein thesubsequent carpet tile abuts with at least one of the indicator carpettiles, the second carpet tile and the third carpet tile;

[0035] e) removing at least one of the securing devices, securing means,and the indicator carpet tile; and

[0036] f) replacing the indicator carpet tile or placing a carpet tilein the location vacated by the indicator carpet tile.

[0037] In accordance with alternative embodiments of the presentinvention, the securing device or securing means are one or more ofdouble sticky tape, venerable adhesive peel and stick, or the like.

[0038] It is an object of the present invention to provide a method oflaying or installing low adhesive cushion or foam backed carpet tiles toa surface comprising the steps of:

[0039] a) reversibly securing or temporarily attaching at least oneindicator carpet tile to the floor or surface with a securing means ordevice;

[0040] b) placing a low adhesive carpet tile on the surface wherein thesecond carpet tile and the indicator carpet tile abut;

[0041] c) placing a second low adhesive carpet tile on the surfacewherein the third carpet tile abuts at least one indicator carpet tileand the second carpet tile;

[0042] d) placing one or more subsequent low adhesive carpet tiles onthe surface wherein at least one of the subsequent carpet tiles abutwith at least one of the indicator carpet tiles, the second carpet tileand the third carpet tile;

[0043] e) removing at least one of the securing devices, securing means,and the indicator carpet tile; and

[0044] f) replacing the indicator carpet tile or placing a low adhesivecarpet tile in the location vacated by the indicator carpet tile.

[0045] A particular feature of one embodiment of the present inventionis the ability to form a water permeable floor covering system with amultiplicity of cushion backed carpet tiles wherein each of themultiplicity of cushion backed carpet tiles comprises:

[0046] an upper textile surface with yarn protruding from a topsidethereof;

[0047] a polyurethane cushion or foam attached to a bottom side of theupper textile surface; and

[0048] felt attached to the polyurethane cushion opposite to the uppertextile surface, wherein the cushion backed carpet tile comprises aplurality of corners and each of the corners have a cup and about{fraction (3/16)}″ or less and curl of about {fraction (1/16)}″ or less.

[0049] Another particular feature of one embodiment of the presentinvention is the ability to form a floor covering comprising an elementunder the floor covering which is easily accessible. The element mayinclude a sensor, an access hatch, a safe, a track for wiring orplumbing, a drain and other devices, items, or elements as describedherein.

[0050] Furthermore, the tiles can be rearranged during the life of thefloor covering to achieve differing visual effects without replacementof the tiles themselves

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0051]FIG. 1A is a cut-away view of a carpet tile with a loop piletufted carpet and a cushioned composite structure.

[0052]FIG. 1B is a cut-away side view of a carpet tile with a bondedcarpet incorporating a cushioned composite structure.

[0053]FIG. 1C is a cut-away view of a carpet tile with a cut pile tuftedcarpet and a cushioned composite structure.

[0054]FIG. 1D is a cut-away side view of a carpet tile with a wovencarpet incorporating a cushioned composite structure.

[0055]FIG. 1E is a cut-away view of a carpet tile with a non-wovencarpet and a cushioned composite structure.

[0056]FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating an exemplary embodiment ofthe apparatus and process of the present invention.

[0057]FIG. 2A is a schematic view illustrating a modified embodiment ofthe apparatus and process of FIG. 2 with the latex back coat addedduring the process.

[0058]FIG. 3A is a cut-away side view of a carpet tile with a tuftedcarpet incorporating a structure formed by the apparatus and process ofthe present invention as illustrated in FIG. 2 or FIG. 2A.

[0059]FIG. 3B is a cut-away side view of a carpet tile with a bondedcarpet incorporating a structure formed by the apparatus and process ofthe present invention as illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0060]FIG. 4A is a cut-away side view of an alternative embodiment of acarpet tile with a tufted carpet having no reinforcement layer.

[0061]FIG. 4B is a cut-away side view of an alternative embodiment of acarpet tile with a bonded carpet having no reinforcement layer.

[0062]FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating an alternative apparatusand process according to the present invention for forming a cushionedcarpet composite without separate adhesive bonding between the primarycarpet and the reinforcement layer.

[0063]FIG. 5A is a schematic view representing a modified embodiment ofthe apparatus and process of FIG. 5 without the addition of areinforcement layer.

[0064]FIG. 6A is a cut-away side view of an alternative structure for acarpet tile with a tufted carpet formed by the apparatus and processillustrated in FIG. 5.

[0065]FIG. 6B is a cut-away side view of an alternative structure for acarpet tile with a bonded carpet formed by the apparatus and processillustrated in FIG. 5.

[0066]FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating yet another alternativeapparatus and process according to the present invention for forming acushioned carpet composite without separate adhesive bonding between theprimary carpet and the reinforcement layer as illustrated in FIGS. 6Aand 6B.

[0067]FIGS. 8A and 8B are respective simple and more complex schematicflow diagrams of the production of low weight modular carpet tiles inaccordance with selected embodiments of the present invention.

[0068]FIG. 9 is a tabular representation of the materials, dimensions,temperatures, and the like used in the process of FIGS. 8A and 8B.

[0069] FIGS. 10-18 are schematic construction or layer diagrams ofrespective tufted and bonded low weight carpet tile, composite, or tilesin accordance with different embodiments or aspects of the presentinvention. It is to be understood that although the respective layers ormaterials incorporated in the low weight carpet, composite or tiles areshown separated in FIGS. 10-18, when construction is complete, thearticle has an integral layered appearance similar to that shown, forexample, in FIGS. 3-4 or 6 of the drawings.

[0070] Although FIGS. 10A and 11-18 show a looped pile in the primarycarpet and FIG. 10B shows a bonded primary carpet, it is to beunderstood that a tufted or bonded looped and/or cut pile may be usedand that the pile may be sculptured, printed, dyed, and/or the like asdesired.

[0071]FIG. 19 is a schematic view representing still another alternativeapparatus and process of the present invention without felt.

[0072]FIG. 19A is a schematic view illustrating still yetanother-alternative embodiment of the apparatus and process of thepresent invention without felt (secondary backing) or scrim(reinforcement layer).

[0073]FIG. 20 is a diagrammatic representation of a preferred method forinstalling cushion backed carpet tiles of the present invention.

[0074]FIGS. 21a and 21B are illustrative views of a preferred method forinstalling a cushion backed carpet tile of the present invention.

[0075]FIG. 21c is a top view of an apparatus for use in the installationmethod illustrated in FIGS. 21a and 21 b.

[0076]FIG. 22 is a top view of an embodiment of the present inventionwherein carpet tiles are used to cover elements under the carpet tile.

[0077]FIG. 23 is a top view of another embodiment wherein carpet tilesare used to cover elements under the carpet tile.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0078] In the following detailed description of the invention, specificpreferred embodiments of the invention are described to enable a fulland complete understanding of the invention. It will be recognized thatit is not intended to limit the invention to the particular preferredembodiment described, and although specific terms are employed indescribing the invention, such terms are used in a descriptive sense forthe purpose of illustration and not for the purpose of limitation.

[0079] In accordance with the present invention, a flooring, carpet,floor covering, carpet composite, carpet tile or modular carpet tilesystem and method is provided which is aesthetically pleasing, exhibitsperformance characteristics that rate it for heavy commercial use, hasresilience and under foot comfort, which may be dyed or printed, andwhich may be installed with minimal or no adhesive.

[0080] An example of a tufted carpet product or carpet tile isillustrated in FIG. 1A and an example of a bonded carpet product orcarpet tile is illustrated in FIG. 1B.

[0081] In the tufted carpet product 10A of FIG. 1A, a primary carpetfabric 12 is embedded in an adhesive layer 16 in which is embedded alayer of glass scrim 18 or nonwoven material. A foam base composite 19is likewise adhesively bonded to the adhesive layer 16. In the tuftedcarpet illustrated in FIG. 1A, the primary carpet fabric 12 includes aloop pile layer 20 tufted through a primary backing 22 by a conventionaltufting process and held in place by a pre-coat backing layer of latex24 or other appropriate adhesives including a hot melt adhesive or thelike. The foam base composite 19 of the tufted carpet product or carpettile 10A includes an intermediate layer 26 molded to a layer of urethanefoam 28 as illustrated.

[0082] The bonded carpet product or carpet tile 10B (FIG. 1B) employsthe same type of foam base composite 19 adhesively bonded by adhesivelaminate layers 16. However, the primary bonded carpet fabric 12 ofproduct 10B has somewhat different components from that of the tuftedcarpet fabric 12 of product 10A in that it has cut pile yarns 34implanted in a PVC, latex, or hot melt adhesive 36 having a woven ornonwoven reinforcement or substrate layer 38 of fiberglass, nylon,polypropylene or polyester.

[0083] The carpet fabric of pile fabric 12 may be cut pile, loop pile,cut and loop pile, tufted, bonded, woven, non-woven, or the like.Although it is preferred that the carpet or pile fabric be a tufted orbonded, cut or loop pile carpet fabric or textile, it is contemplatedthat other woven or non-woven materials having a pile or nap may may beused. For example, FIG. 1C shows a cut pile tufted product 110C, FIG. 1Dshows a woven product 210D, and FIG. 1E shows a non-woven product 110E.

[0084] A schematic view illustrating an exemplary apparatus and processused in forming the cushioned flooring, floor covering, carpet or tileof the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 2. The apparatus isdesignated generally by reference numeral 100. As illustrated, a primarycarpet fabric 112 which may incorporate either a tufted or a bondedconfiguration (with loop or cut pile) as described above is drawn from amounted carpet roll 114. As indicated previously, the primary carpetfabric 112 preferably includes a plurality of pile-forming yarnsprojecting outwardly from one side of a primary base. If the primarycarpet 112 used in the present invention is a tufted carpet, itsconfiguration will preferably conform to that of the primary carpet 12illustrated in regard to that in FIG. 1A, while if the primary carpet112 used in the present invention is a bonded product, its configurationwill be that of the primary carpet 12 illustrated in FIG. 1B. It iscontemplated that the primary carpet may include one or more backingbase layers.

[0085] Alternative embodiments, including those disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 4,576,665 to Machell (incorporated by reference herein), maylikewise be utilized. For example, it is contemplated that specializedprimary backings such as nonwoven structures comprising fiberglasssandwiched between layers of polyester may be utilized in the primarytufted carpet to impart the desired properties relating to stabilitythereby potentially reducing or even eliminating the need for the latexpre-coat presently utilized. Moreover, it is contemplated that if apre-coat is to be utilized, it may be added directly in-line in anoperation prior to any adhesive operation.

[0086] It is to be understood that, as with the prior art products,wherein the primary tufted or bonded carpet fabric 12 may have differentembodiments, the component structure of the primary carpet fabric is notcritical to the present invention. Rather it is intended that anyprimary carpet fabric having a pile forming portion may be utilized asthe primary carpet fabric. The primary carpet may also include a“primary base” such as any single layer or composite structureincluding, inter alia, the commonly used layered composite of primarybacking 22 and latex pre-coat 24 previously described in relation to thetufted product (FIG. 1A) and the adhesive layer 36 with reinforcementsubstrate 38 previously described in relation to the bonded product(FIG. 1B). As will be appreciated, the use of polyester in the primarybase structure may be desirable due to the eventual heat curing suchstructure may undergo. Other embodiments as may occur to those of skillin the art may, of course, also be utilized. For example, in the bondedproduct, the pile forming yarns could be heat tacked to the substrate 38as described in U. S. Pat. No. 5,443,881 (hereby incorporated byreference herein) to permit simplified construction of a primary carpet.

[0087] Alternative embodiments including those disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 4,576,665 to Machell (herein incorporated by reference) may likewisebe utilized. For example, it is contemplated that specialized primarybackings such as non-woven structures comprising fiberglass sandwichedbetween layers of polyester may be utilized in the primary tufted carpetto impart the desired properties relating to stability therebypotentially reducing or even eliminating the need for the secondarybacking or the latex pre-coat presently utilized. Moreover, it iscontemplated that if a pre-coat is to be utilized, it may be addeddirectly in-line in an operation prior to any adhesive operation.

[0088] With regard to one embodiment, in the tufted carpet product 110Aof the present invention (FIG. 3A), the primary carpet fabric 112preferably comprises a loop pile layer 120 of pile-forming yarns tuftedinto a primary backing 122 as is well known and held in place by apre-coat of latex or a hot melt adhesive 124. It is contemplated thatthe latex or hot melt adhesive may be added in-line after removal fromthe carpet roll prior to the application of any other adhesive asdescribed below. The carpet may be steamed after addition of thepre-coat to facilitate subsequent printing operations if desired toreduce stresses. The two basic primary backing constructions are wovenpolypropylene and non-woven polyester. Each material may have a varietyof construction characteristics engineered for a specific end use. Thepreferred primary backing material is 20 pick per inch, wovenpolypropylene, with needle punched nylon fleece.

[0089] In accordance with one example of the present invention and withreference to FIG. 2A of the drawings, the primary carpet 112 is a looppile tufted carpet formed by tufting, for example, a non-heat set yarnthrough the primary backing, then washing, steaming, drying, andinjection or jet dying thereon are, preferably, monolithic ororientation independent design, color, or pattern to form, for example,a 12 foot wide primary carpet precursor of loop pile 120 and primarybacking 122. By using a non-heatset yarn, and originally tufting theyarn at a rather long loop length, the washing, steaming, drying, anddying steps shrink the yarn to form smaller, tighter loops and provide adenser surface to the primary carpet precursor. Next, this primarycarpet precursor is split in half and rolled to form, two separate sixfoot wide rolls 115 of split primary carpet precursor 113 (FIG. 2A).Next, one roll 115 of the split primary carpet precursor 113 is used asthe initial carpet feed in and the apparatus of FIG. 2A. The latexpre-coat or hot melt adhesive coat 124 is added to the back of theprimary carpet precursor 113 to form a primary carpet fabric 112 in theupper run of the apparatus of FIG. 2A downstream of the accumulator 150and upstream of the reinforcement bonding unit 155. For example, a thinlayer of latex pre-coat 119 is applied to the back of the primary carpetprecursor 113 using a coating roller 117.

[0090] In accordance with one embodiment of the present m invention, theprimary carpet precursor (not having a latex pre-coat) is rolled orwound with the primary backing 122 exposed (FIGS. 19 and 19A).

[0091] Also, it is contemplated that the apparatus of the presentinvention may include the entire assembly process from tufting the yarnin the primary backing, dying the tufted yarn, latex pre-coating theback of the primary backing, hot-melt coating the fiberglass reinforcingmaterial, foam coating the felt secondary backing, laminating theprimary carpet, reinforcing fiberglass, and foam cushioning layer,heating or curing the laminate, and cutting the resultant carpetcomposite into carpet tiles, runners, area rugs, or the like. Also, itis contemplated that in accordance with the present invention theprocess may be broken down into its respective steps and done in a batchor preformed rather than a continuous mode, although the continuous modeof operation is preferred. For example, the primary carpet may be formedin one operation and placed on rolls. The cushion backing or foam layermay be formed in a separate operation and placed on a roll. The twopreformed rolled materials may be joined by a mating unit using anadhesive, hot melt, hot melt with reinforcing layer, or the like.

[0092] With regard to one embodiment, in the tufted carpet product 110Aof the present invention (FIG. 3A), the primary carpet fabric 112preferably comprises a loop pile layer 120 of pile-forming yarns tuftedinto a primary backing 122 as is well known and held in place by apre-coat of latex or hot melt adhesive 124. It is contemplated that thelatex or hot melt adhesive may be added in-line after removal from thecarpet roll prior to the application of any other adhesive as describedbelow. The carpet may be steamed after addition of the pre-coat tofacilitate subsequent printing operations if desired to reduce stresses.

[0093] In the bonded carpet product 110B of the present invention (FIG.3B), the primary carpet fabric 112 preferably comprises a plurality ofcut pile yarns 134 implanted in a latex or hot melt adhesive 136 whichis laminated to a reinforcement or substrate layer 138 of a woven ornon-woven material including fiberglass, nylon, polyester orpolypropylene. It is contemplated that this substrate layer 138 may bepre-coated with latex or other thermoplastic polymers to permit meltingadhesion with the cut pile yarns 134 upon the application of heat,thereby potentially reducing or eliminating the need for the latex orhot melt adhesive 136.

[0094] The yarns 120, 134 may be either spun or filament yarns and arepreferably formed from a polyamide polymer such as nylon 6 staple, nylon6 filament, or nylon 6,6 staple, nylon 6,6 filament, available fromDuPont Fibers in Wilmington, Del., although other suitable natural orsynthetic yarns may likewise be employed as will be recognized by thoseof skill in the art. By way of example only and not limitation, othermaterials, which might be used, include polyester staple or filamentsuch as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polybutylene terephthalate(PBT); polyolefins, such as polyethylene and polypropylene staple orfilament; rayon; and polyvinyl polymers such as polyacrylonitrile. Avariety of deniers, plies, twist levels, air entanglement, and heatsetcharacteristics can be used to construct the yarn. The preferredmaterial is nylon 6,6, filament, 1360 denier, 1 ply, no twist, noentanglement, and no heat set.

[0095] The face weight of the carpet, or weight of yarn per area, ispreferably from about 10-60 ounces per square yard. More preferably, theface weight of the carpet is at least about 12 ounces per square yard toabout 50 ounces per square yard. In a preferred low weight embodiment,the face weight is at least about 12 ounces per square yard to about 20ounces per square yard and more preferably about 12 to about 15 ouncesper square yard. In an alternate preferred embodiment the face weight isabout 15 to about 50 ounces per square yard and more preferably about 20to about 40 ounces per square yard.

[0096] In the tufted product, the adhesive pre-coat 124 is preferablystyrene butadiene rubber (SBR) latex but other suitable materials suchas polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), acrylic, andhot melt adhesives, as are well known to those of skill in the art, maylikewise be utilized. In the event that a hot melt adhesive is utilized,it is contemplated that a reinforcement material such as a glass scrimcould be directly attached to form a composite laminate without the useof adhesives. Moreover, as previously indicated, it is contemplated thatthe adhesive pre-coat 124 may be entirely eliminated in the tuftedproduct if the loop pile 120 is tufted in suitably stable relation tothe primary backing 122. The commonly used hot melts are bitumen,polyolefin-based thermoplastic, and polyurethane. The preferred hot meltmaterial is polyolefin based thermoplastic.

[0097] Referring again to FIG. 2, in the potentially preferred practicethe primary carpet fabric 112 is conveyed by means of a plurality ofrolls through an accumulator 150 as is well known in the art to areinforcement bonding unit 155. Simultaneously with the conveyance ofthe primary carpet fabric 112 to the reinforcement bonding unit 155, asheet of reinforcement material 158 is likewise conveyed to thereinforcement bonding unit 155. The reinforcement material 158 ispreferably fiberglass non-woven material such as a 2.0 oz/yd² fiberglasscontaining a urea formaldehyde binder although alternative materials mayinclude woven glass, woven polyester, non-woven glass, and non-wovenpolyester.

[0098] At the reinforcement bonding unit 155, an adhesive 160 (FIGS. 3A,3B) such as a hot melt adhesive is preferably applied to thereinforcement material 158 by means of a film coater or other such unitas are well known. The reinforcement material 158 and the primary carpetfabric 112 are thereafter preferably passed in mating relation betweenjoining members such as rolls 163, 165, thereby bonding thereinforcement material 158 to the underside of the primary carpet fabric112. That is, the reinforcement material 158 is bonded on the side ofthe primary carpet fabric 112 from which the pile forming yarns do notproject. The bonding of the reinforcement material 158 to the undersideof the primary carpet fabric produces a preliminary composite 166 whichis thereafter laid into a puddle of a polyurethane-forming compositionas described below.

[0099] Although the reinforcement bonding unit 155 is illustrated in itspreferred embodiment as incorporating a film coater, it is to beunderstood that alternative equivalent means such as application rolls,spray headers and the like may also be utilized. By way of example only,and not limitation alternative means for the application of adhesive 160are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,665 to Machell.

[0100] In the preferred practice, while the preliminary composite 166 isbeing formed, a backing material 170 such as a non-woven backing ispassed through a scray 172 to a polymer application unit 175 whichpreferably includes a polymer discharge unit 176 and a doctor blade 177.The backing material 170 is coated with a polymer 178 such as apolyurethane-forming composition as disclosed more fully below.

[0101] In the preferred embodiment, the backing material 170 is woven ornon-woven 10% to 100% polyester and 90% or less polypropylene. Morepreferably the backing material is 40-80% polyester and 20-60%polypropylene. In a particularly preferred embodiment the backing isabout 50% polyester and about 50% polypropylene non-woven fibrousmaterial or felt which is available from Spartan Mills Company inSpartanburg, S.C. While this represents the backing material ofpreference, it is to be understood that any number of alternativecompositions may likewise be utilized as dictated by requirementsregarding shrinkage and installation. The commonly used secondarybacking materials include non-woven polyester, non-woven polyester andpolypropylene blends, or woven polypropylene. By way of example only, ininstances where very little or no shrinkage may be tolerated, thebacking material may be up to 100% polyester. Further, while a non-wovenbacking material may be preferred, it is contemplated that either wovenor non-woven constructions may be utilized as can materials other thanthe polyester/polypropylene mix such as nylon, fiberglass and the like.The weight and thickness of the backing material 170 can vary, forexample, in the range of from about 2-4 oz/yd² non-woven or from about0.01 inches to about 0.19 inches, although a range of between about 0.05inches and 0.12 inches may be preferred.

[0102] As indicated, in the preferred practice the polymer applicationunit 175 applies a deposit of a polymer 178 (FIGS. 3A, 3B) to thebacking material 170 after which the height of the polymer is doctoredto a desired level.

[0103] In the preferred practice, the polymer applied is apolyurethane-forming composition based on a so-called soft segmentpre-polymer of MDI (diphenylmethane diisocyanate) or an MDI derivative.The polyurethane-forming composition also preferably incorporates asilicone surfactant to improve both the frothability and stability ofthe polyurethane layer or “puddle” which is spread across the surface ofthe backing material 170. The preferred foam density is about 5-30lbs/ft³. More preferred is a foam density of about 15 lbs. per cubicfoot to about 20 pounds per cubic foot. It is preferable that thebacking material be at least about 0.06 inches thick and more preferablyat least 0.10 inches thick. A foam backing with a foam density of about18 lbs. per cubic foot and a thickness of greater than 0.10 inches hasbeen proven to be exemplary. A foam backing with a foam density of about16 lbs. per cubic foot or less with a thickness of about 0.06 inches hasalso been determined to be exemplary. When the backing material 170 isnot employed, it is particularly preferred that the polymer be an opencell foam.

[0104] The preferred polyurethane-forming composition for use in thepresent invention is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,693 to Jenkinesthe teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.Specifically, the preferred polyurethane-forming composition, which isapplied across the surface of the carrier backing 170, includes:

[0105] A. At least one isocyanate-reactive material having an averageequivalent weight of about 1000 to about 5000;

[0106] B. An effective amount of blowing agent; and

[0107] C. A polyisocyanate in an amount to provide an isocyanate indexof between about 90 and about 130, wherein at least 30 percent by weightof such polyisocyanate is a soft segment pre-polymer reaction product ofa stoichiometric excess of diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) or aderivative thereof and an isocyanate-reactive organic polymer having anequivalent weight of from about 500 to about 5,000 and wherein thepre-polymer has an NCO content of about 10 to about 30 percent byweight.

[0108] The polyurethane-forming composition also preferably contains asilicone surfactant to improve frothability and stability in the form ofan Organo-silicone polymer such as are disclosed generally in U.S. Pat.No. 4,022,941 to Prokai et al. the teachings of which are incorporatedherein by reference. Specifically, the preferred surfactant ispreferably a linear siloxane-polyoxyalkylene (AB) block copolymer andspecifically a polyalkyleneoxidemethylsiloxane copolymer. One suchsilicone surfactant, which is particularly useful, is available underthe trade designation L-5614 from OSI Specialties, Inc. whose businessaddress is believed to be 6525 Corners Parkway, Suite 311, Norcross, Ga.30092.

[0109] A sufficient level of the silicone surfactant is used tostabilize the cells of the foaming reaction mixture until curing occursto allow the preliminary composite 166 to be laid into the uncuredpolyurethane-forming composition puddle without destabilizing the layerof such polyurethane-forming composition disposed across the surface ofthe backing material 170. In general, the silicone surfactants arepreferably used in amounts ranging from about 0.01 to about 2 parts perhundred parts by weight of component (A) and more preferably from about0.35 parts to about 1.0 parts by weight of component (A) and mostpreferably from about 0.4 to 0.75 parts per hundred parts by weight ofcomponent (A).

[0110] As previously indicated, after disposition of the polymer acrossthe backing material 170 the layer or “puddle” of polymer deposited ispreferably doctored to a pre-determined height by means of a doctorblade located at the polymer application unit 175. While a simplemechanical doctor blade is preferred, alternative equivalent means suchas an air knife or the like may also be used. Such an air knife isdisclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,831 to Tillotson(incorporated by reference).

[0111] In one embodiment of the present invention the primary carpetfabric 112, which is preferably joined to reinforcement material 158 toform the preliminary composite 166, can be laid directly into thepolyurethane-forming composition immediately after it is doctored to theappropriate level without any need to significantly heat either thepreliminary composite 166 or the polyurethane-forming composition.Accordingly, the preliminary composite 166 and the backing material 170with the applied polyurethane-forming composition may be simultaneouslydelivered at room temperature to a mating roll 180 immediately followingthe application and doctoring of the polyurethane-forming composition.As will be appreciated, this avoidance of lag time between formation ofthe components of the cushioned carpet composite permits highlyefficient processing readily controllable either manually or by computercontrol means (not shown) as are well known to those of skill in theart. In the preferred process, the preliminary composite 166 may beslightly preheated to improve operating control during lamination andcuring but such preheat is not essential to formation of the desiredproduct.

[0112] In the illustrated and preferred embodiment of the carpet, theprocess described above results in the layer of reinforcement material158 being laid adjacent to and at least partially embedded in the layerof polyurethane 178. That is, the reinforcement material 158 ispreferably in intimate contact with the polyurethane 178 such that thepolymer material will hold the reinforcement in place.

[0113] Once the preliminary composite 166 has been laid into thepolyurethane-forming composition, the resulting composite may be heatedin a heating unit 182 by means of conduction, radiant, or convectionheaters as are well known in the art. Contact conduction heaters may bepreferred. Such heating may be carried out at a temperature of betweenabout 250° F. and about 325° F. for between about 2 minutes and 8minutes. The resulting foam cushion layer (FIGS. 3A, 3B) which isproduced thereby has a density of between about 12 pounds per cubic footand about 20 pounds per cubit foot preferably between about 14 poundsper cubic foot and about 16 pounds per cubic foot, and more preferablyabout 16 pounds per cubic foot.

[0114] Following the heat curing operation, the cushioned carpetcomposite which is formed may be passed over a unidirectional heatsource 185 such as a plate heater or roll heater at about 400° F. tofuse any outstanding fibers on the backing material 170 into a smoothsurface. The carpet composite, which is formed, will thereafter be cutinto carpet tiles almost immediately (rather than rolled) to avoid anyundesired cupping or curl. After the carpet tiles are cut from thecomposite, they are stacked, packaged and shipped to the customer orstore.

[0115] It will be appreciated that a number of alternative practices maybe incorporated into the present invention yielding slightly differentproducts. By way of example only, the reinforcement material 158 may beleft completely out of the process thereby making the use of theadhesive application apparatus 155 and adhesive 160 completelyunnecessary. In such instances, the primary carpet fabric may be laiddirectly into the polyurethane-forming composition thereby yielding acomposite structure as illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B with thepolyurethane 278 immediately adjacent to the primary carpet fabric 212.In FIG. 4A the primary carpet fabric 212 comprises a yarn tufted with aprimary backing 222 and secured with a latex pre-coat 224. A backing 270is adhered to the polyurethane. In FIG. 4B the primary carpet fabric 212is a bonded carpet with a yarn 234 bonded to a latex or hot meltadhesion layer 236. A substrate layer 238 of woven or non-woven materialincluding fiberglass, nylon, polyester or polypropylene acts as areinforcement. The polymer layer 278 and backing layer 270 are aspreviously described and other embodiments are described in reference toFIGS. 17 and 19A.

[0116] In accordance with another embodiment, when the cushion layer ispreformed rather than formed in-situ, a hot melt layer may be used tomate the primary carpet to the cushion layer with or without thereinforcement material as illustrated in FIG. 12.

[0117] It is contemplated that in some instances the backing 170, 270might be completely eliminated such that the polyurethane cushion 178,278 would directly contact the flooring as disclosed in relation to U.S.Pat. No. 4,286,003 which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0118] In a particularly preferred embodiment without the lower backinglayer (170, 270), the polyurethane coating or layer (178, 278)acts as anon-skid surface. In this instance the polyurethane coating is a lowadhesive layer since the carpet tile is precluded from sliding laterallybut not from being lifted off of the surface. Adhesion is determined bythe coefficient of friction as measured by determining the forcerequired to initiate lateral movement on a slide using a material thatrepresents an installation surface. For the purposes of the presentinvention the term low adhesion is used to define a carpet of tile orproduct dimensions which requires a stronger force to slide on a surfacethan to lift the tile (peel strength).

[0119] In one embodiment, the surface to have the carpet tile laidthereon is treated with a friction enhancement treatment or compound.The friction enhancement treatment or compound causes the carpet tileand surface to have an enhanced coefficient of friction.

[0120] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the carpet tile has apeel strength which is less than the sliding force.

[0121] Although it is preferred for the tufted modular carpet tile ofthe present invention to have the following layers: yarn, primarybacking, latex pre-coat adhesive, hot melt adhesive, fiberglass,polyurethane foam, and felt (FIG. 10A), it is contemplated that one ormore of these layers may be eliminated or substituted for and stillprovide a carpet tile having the desired properties or characteristics.For example, the latex pre-coat adhesive layer may be replaced by abitumen hot melt layer (FIG. 11), the felt layer may be eliminated(FIGS. 16 and 17), the glass layer may be eliminated (FIG. 12), or thelike.

[0122] An alternative process and apparatus for producing a cushionedcarpet composite according to the present invention is shownschematically in FIG. 5. As illustrated, a primary carpet fabric 312having either a tufted or a bonded configuration is drawn from a mountedcarpet roll 314, through an accumulator 350, in the same mannerdescribed above. Simultaneously with the delivery of the primary carpetfabric 312 to the mating roll 380, a reinforcement material 358 such asa non-woven glass is delivered to a polymer contact roll 360 or similardevice such as an extrusion coater. The polymer contact roll 360preferably is in rolling contact with both the surface of thereinforcement material 358 as well as with an accumulation of a polymer378 such as the polyurethane-forming composition previously described.The polymer contact roll 360 serves to pick up a portion of the polymer378 and to pass the polymer over and through the reinforcement material358.

[0123] Simultaneously with the passage of polymer through thereinforcement material 358, a backing material 370 such as the non-wovenpolyester/polypropylene described above is preferably passed in adjacentmating relation to the polymer-coated reinforcement material 358 betweenthe polymer contact roll 360 and a backing material mating roll 379. Adoctor blade 377 serves to control the depth of the polymer which doesnot pass through the reinforcement material 358 into contact with thebacking material 370. Thus, it is to be appreciated that a polymersandwich structure is formed preferably comprising a layer of backingmaterial 370, a relatively thin layer of polymer 378 such aspolyurethane which has been passed through a layer of reinforcementmaterial 358, and a doctored layer of polyurethane 378 which was notpassed through the reinforcement material 358. This polymer sandwichstructure can thereafter be passed to the mating roll 380 for joinderwith the primary carpet fabric 312 by laying the primary carpet fabric312 directly into the doctored layer of polyurethane 378 without anypre-curing operation.

[0124] A potentially preferred configuration for a resulting tuftedcarpet composite is illustrated in FIG. 6A. As illustrated, thereinforcement material 358 will be at least partially surrounded by, andembedded in, the polyurethane 378. As illustrated, it is contemplatedthat the layer of pre-coat may be eliminated in the tufted structuresince the tufts may be held in place by the polyurethane 378. Apotentially preferred configuration for a resulting bonded carpetcomposite is shown in FIG. 6B.

[0125] With respect to FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5A, 12 and 17 of the drawings, thescrim and hot melt layers can be eliminated simply by not feeding thescrim 358 along with the felt 370 and primary carpet 312.

[0126] Another alternative process and apparatus for joining all layersof the cushioned carpet composite is illustrated in FIG. 7. As shown, alayer of reinforcement material 358 is preferably passed adjacent to apolymer contact roll 360 which is in simultaneous rolling contact withboth the reinforcement material 358 and a deposit of polymer 378. Thepolymer contact roll 360 serves to spread a portion of the polymer 378through the reinforcement material 358 to create a coating on both sidesthereof. The reinforcement material 358 with its coating of polymer 378is then joined in a laminate structure to the primary carpet fabric 312and a layer of backing material 370 by passage through the nip betweenthe doctor blade 377 and backing material mating roll 379. This practicewill yield a bonded carpet composite structure substantially similar tothose which are illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B.

[0127] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, thedesigns that are printed on the low weight modular carpet or carpet tileare characterized as orientation independent, omnidirectional, or ashaving the ability to seam properly without cutting the tiles inregister with the design. The techniques used to create these designsmake it possible to install modular carpet monolithically rather thanquarter turn or ashler. The commonly used techniques of modular carpetinstallation such as quarter turn (parquet), monolithic, and ashler(brick) may be used to install carpet product or carpet tiles of thepresent invention. The preferred technique is either monolithic orashler.

[0128] With reference to FIGS. 12, 18, and 19 of the drawings, the feltand hot melt layers can be eliminated by, for example, feeding theprimary carpet 312 through an apparatus similar to that shown in FIG. 5of the drawings, except that the carpet is inverted and the polymerlayers applied directly to the scrim and surface of the primary carpet.

[0129] With respect to FIGS. 17 and 19A of the drawings, the glass orscrim is eliminated by not feeding the scrim along with the carpet andpolymer.

[0130] In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention a modularcarpet tile includes a textile surface comprising a yarn with a faceweight of about 10-60 oz/yd². More preferably, the face weight of thecarpet is at least about 12 ounces per square yard to about 40 ouncesper square yard. In a preferred embodiment the face weight is at leastabout 12 ounces per square yard to about 20 ounces per square yard andmore preferably about 12 to about 15 ounces per square yard. In analternate preferred embodiment the face weight is about 15 to about 50ounces per square yard and more preferably about 20 to about 40 ouncesper square yard.

[0131] In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, a low weight modular carpet composite which may be cut toform low weight modular carpet tiles includes a low weight primarycarpet or greige carpet having, for example, a face weight of less thanor equal to about 15 oz/yd², a hot melt layer of less than or equal toabout 50 oz/yd², and a lightweight cushion of about 0.04-0.12 inchesthick. The cushion may have a density of about 13-16 lbs. per cubic footor less.

[0132] The instant invention is primarily directed to a cushion backedcarpet tile which can be installed and retained in position without theuse of significant amounts of adhesive material, and preferably with noadhesive securing it to the floor. For purposes of this application, thetiles have been described as being secured to a floor or surface; thisis intended to encompass any surface to which the carpet tiles are laidincluding, but not limited to, surfaces that are to be walked upon, satupon, ridden on, or the like.

[0133] It has been discovered by the inventor that by manufacturing thecushion backed tiles within the specified physical parameters, aninstallation having good stability and capable of withstanding rollingtraffic can be achieved using minimal to no adhesive. In particular, ithas been found that by manufacturing cushion backed carpet tiles havingthe specified amounts of cup and curl, they can be used to form entireinstallations which retain their position on the floor with little to noadhesive.

[0134] The phenomenon enabling the unique performance of the carpettiles of the invention is not readily understood by the inventors, sinceit would appear that the lateral forces experienced by a cushion backedcarpet tile in response to a rolling force would be greater than thoseexperienced with a regular rigid back-type carpet tile, therebysuggesting that the cushion product would provide a greater amount ofadhesive to retain its proper position on the floor. It is believed thatthe compressibility of the carpet tiles in combination with theirspecific flatness parameters cooperate to distribute the load of traffic(e.g., rolling traffic) in a unique manner to positively effect thedistribution of the lateral forces. As a result, the tiles do not tendto snowplow over each other in the manner of conventional carpet tileswhen subjected to rolling traffic and the like.

[0135] The carpet tiles of the instant invention are manufacturedaccording to strict manufacturing requirements such that no tile has anaverage cup of greater than {fraction (3/16)}″, no tile has an averagecurl of greater than {fraction (1/16)}″, no corner of any tile has a cupof greater than {fraction (3/16)}″, and no corner has a curl of greaterthan {fraction (1/16)}″. Even more preferably, no corner of any tile hasa cup of greater than {fraction (2/16)}″ or a curl of greater than{fraction (2/16)}″.

[0136] The individual cushion backed carpet tiles made according to thespecifications described above can be used to provide floor coveringinstallations having a plurality of carpet tiles, with none of theplurality of tiles having a cup of greater than {fraction (3/16)}″, andno corner having a curl of greater than {fraction (1/16)}″. Even morepreferably, no corner of any tile in the plurality forming theadhesive-free portion of the installation has a cup of greater than{fraction (2/16)}″ or a curl of greater than {fraction (2/16)}″.

[0137] The preferred composition of the carpet tiles of the presentinvention provides for improvements in physical attributes, as measuredby the cup, curl, and dimensional stability which is not available inthe art. Specifically, the felt backing layer and glass stabilizer layerprovide a structural strength which allows the flatness of the carpet tobe controlled at a level which allows the use of the carpet tileswithout adhesives.

[0138] The carpet tiles of the invention can be of any desireddimension; however, the preferred shape is that of a square tile.Particularly preferred are tiles which are either 18″×18″ or 36″×36″.However, tiles having different dimensions such as 50 cm×50 cm or 1 m ×1m could also be utilized within the scope of the instant invention.

[0139] The tiles can also be of any thickness desired. Tiles having athickness of about 10 mm-20 mm are preferred. More preferably the tileshave a thickness of about 0.20″ to about 0.55″. Even more specifically,the cushion backing on the tiles desirably has a thickness of about 4mm-10 mm. More preferably the cushion backing has a thickness of 0.10″to about 0.25″. In a particularly preferred embodiment the carpet tilehas a compression of about half its original foam or cushion thicknessunder normal foot load of approximately 150 pounds.

[0140] The carpet tiles can be of any type and preferably include atextile surface with a foam layer functionally secured beneath thetextile surface. For example, the foam layer may be secured directly tothe textile surface, or may be secured by way of one or moreintermediate layers. As noted above, the foam layer is desirablycompressible so as to provide a level of cushioning when an individualtravels across the textile surface such as walking across the floorcovering. In a preferred form of the invention, the cushion layer isformed from a material having a density of about 8 lbs per cubic foot toabout 22 pounds per cubic foot. In a particularly preferred form of theinvention, the material has a density of about 16 pounds per cubic foot.The cushion can be formed from any material which provides the requisiteperformance properties; substantially open cell polyurethane has beenfound to perform particularly well in this application.

[0141] The textile surface can be of any variety desired, including butnot limited to a woven, knit or non-woven fabric, a cut pile, loop pile,bonded, tufted surface, or the like. As will be appreciated by those ofordinary skill in the art, the overall thickness of the carpet tile willbe varied according to the type of pile forming the upper surface of thecarpet tile. The tiles can also be constructed in any conventionalmanner, provided the structural parameters described above can beachieved.

[0142] The installation of the tiles will desirably be performed asfollows, although other methods can be utilized within the scope of theinvention. In order to provide an equal number of tiles around theperimeter of the room, the installer will typically measure the room todetermine the center point. A minimal number of tiles (generally two tofour tiles) will desirably be aligned at the room center point, andtemporarily secured into place by way of double stick tape. Since noadhesive is then required for the carpet tiles, the tiles can be pushedinto place in a spiral-like manner about the center tiles, progressingoutwardly until the entire flooring region to be covered is properlyoverlaid with tiles (FIG. 20). As will be appreciated by those ofordinary skill in the art, this enables tiles to be pushed into place aswell as pulled into place. Therefore, an installer can position himselfin the most efficient position for installing the tiles rather thanbeing forced to sit on the already installed tiles as was the case withmost adhesive installation methods. If desired, the double stick tapecan then be removed from beneath the four centered tiles to provide anentirely adhesive-free installation.

[0143] A preferred method of installing carpet tiles of the presentinvention will be described by referring to FIG. 20. For the purposes ofillustration each carpet tile in FIG. 20 is designated with letters toindicate a side relative to the room. It is to be understood that thisis for illustration purposes only. In FIG. 20, the area to be carpeted500 is measured and the approximate center determined. Indicator carpettile 1 is placed in position such that one side has a preferredorientation with respect to at least one reference wall. In theembodiment illustrated, the preferred orientation is parallel to thewalls and the walls form a rectangle. As an alternative, the carpettiles may be at a bias to one or more walls in some circumstances (ifdesired or dictated by the design). The indicator carpet tile 1 isreversibly or temporarily secured by two sided tape or a light,removable adhesive which inhibits the carpet from moving laterally butwhich does not prohibit the carpet tile from being removed by liftingvertically. The manner in which the indicator carpet tile is reversiblysecured is chosen to insure that the carpet can be removed at will aftera certain number of carpet tiles are installed.

[0144] After indicator carpet tile 1 is in place, a second carpet tile 2is placed with one edge of the second carpet tile abutting one edge ofthe indicator carpet tile and two edges of the second carpet tile beingabout co-linear with two edges of the indicator tile. In the embodimentillustrated, side “c” of the second carpet tile 2 and side “a” of theindicator carpet tile 1 abut. The second carpet tile can be temporarilysecured if so desired and if a large area is being carpeted this may bedesirable. A third carpet tile 3 is placed such that one edge of thethird carpet tile 3 abuts one edge of a carpet tile previously laid andtwo edges of the third carpet tile are co-linear with two edges of apreviously laid carpet tile. In the embodiment illustrated, the “d” edgeof the third carpet tile 3 and the “b” edge of the second carpet tile 2abut, however, there are six options all of which are within the scopeof the present invention. Each subsequent carpet tile 4, 5, 6, etc. islaid in an analogous manner. It is most preferred that the order ofcarpet laying forms a spiral since this method has a high number ofinstances wherein a carpet tile being laid abuts two edges of previouslylaid carpet tiles. This is advantageous since each seam is tight and thefinal visual appearance is consistent and the finished floor appears tobe covered by a broadloom carpet. After a sufficient number of carpettiles are laid to insure that the indicator carpet tile will not movelaterally, the indicator carpet tile is lifted and the manner in whichthe indicator carpet tile was temporarily secured is removed. Althoughthe indicator tile or tiles may remain adhered to the floor, it ispreferred to remove the temporary securing means to allow access underthe indicator tile.

[0145] A particularly preferred method of installing carpet tiles of thepresent invention will be described in reference to FIGS. 21a, 21 b and21 c. In FIGS. 21a-b, the carpet tile being installed 601 is supported,in part, by a carpet spatula 602. By supporting the majority of thecarpet tile, the junction between edges 603 and 604 can be verycarefully made to insure that there are no gaps or overlaps. Oneadvantage of the non-slip inventive carpet product is the minimaltransverse slippage once laid in place. When installing the carpet tilesthis is a disadvantage since it is difficult to slide the carpet tileonce it is laid close to the desired position and then slid into optimalposition. Furthermore, the carpet spatula allows the air to be excludedfrom under the carpet tile as the carpet spatula is withdrawn. In use,the carpet tile to be installed is laid on the support plate 605 of thecarpet spatula 602. The orientation of the carpet spatula is controlledby an optional, but preferred, handle 606. The handle allows oneinstaller to stand upright which decreases fatigue associated withbending over. The carpet tile is then persuaded in the direction of thearrows to insure that the carpet abuts properly. The carpet spatula isthen slowly withdrawn and the carpet tile lays in the proper positionrelative to the previously installed carpet tiles.

[0146] The carpet tiles may have any color, design, print or patternwithout departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, thecarpet tiles may have a monolithic pattern which has no preferredrotational orientation relative to the nearest neighbor carpet tiles.The carpet tiles may also have a pattern wherein each individual carpettile has a portion of a larger pattern and therefore rotational andlateral placement of the carpet tile is critical relative to the nearestneighbors. Examples would include large patterns, designs, logos and thelike wherein the logo is larger than a carpet tile. The carpet tiles mayalso comprise a brick pattern wherein each carpet tile has a portion ofa design which is repeating with a repeat frequency. Typically, a carpetwith a brick pattern has a rotational preference but no lateralpreference with respect to nearest neighbor carpet tiles.

[0147]FIG. 22 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention.In FIG. 22 a floor 650 is covered with a multiplicity of carpet tiles651 which typically appear as a continuous carpet. The multiplicity ofcarpet tiles may also form distinct patterns with pattern sizes that aresmaller than, the same size as, or larger than a distinct tile. Forexample, the multiplicity of carpet tiles may form a monolithic patternthereby appearing to the naked eye no different than a single piece ofbroadloom carpet. Alternatively, the carpet tiles may each have apattern distinguishing one tile from the next. Each tile may alsoprovide one aspect of a larger pattern similar to a puzzle. In theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 22, the carpet tiles cover an element652, which is optionally embedded in an indentation 653 in the floor650. The element 652 includes electrical connections, as would be usedfor connections to alternating current supply, direct current supply orcomputer communication ports. Element 652 is a sensor or sensors, suchas moisture, pressure, temperature, time, audible, or optical sensors.The element sensor 652 is useful for detecting moisture under thecarpet, traffic over the carpet, deterioration of the carpet,conversations above the carpet, or may be used with certain frequenciesof radiation to monitor activities above the carpet tile. At least oneaccess carpet tile 654 covers the sensor 652 to obscure it fromdetection yet does not inhibit access. A channel 655 in the floor, 650,can be used for connections to the element 652 by connector 656 whichinclude wires, fiber optics and/or other connections to elements knownin the art. An optional access hole 656 in the access carpet tile 654allows passage of electrical wires, or the like, when needed. The accesscarpet tile 654 may be replaced by a carpet tile which does not have anaccess hole. This allows an area to be modified for differentenvironments. For example, an access carpet tile with an access hole maybe incorporated when electrical connections are required and replacedwhen they are not required. The same area could be used for displays inone instance or as a ballroom in another instance. The use as a ballroomwould not require unsightly electrical connections to be visible. Withthe carpet tiles of the present invention, a large area can be createdwith many elements in various locations and only those that are neededat a given time would be uncovered or accessed. With cushion backedcarpet tiles that do not require adhesive, the configuration can bechanged at will.

[0148] There has been a long felt need in the art for readily accessiblefloor elements yet the carpet tiles now available in the art requireglue. If the carpet tiles available in the art are not glued, they tendto be unsightly due to their curl and cup parameters both of which aretoo large to use as free-lay carpet tile.

[0149] Another embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 23. In FIG. 23, thefloor 650 comprises an element 652 which is an access hatch which is atleast partially covered by an access carpet tile 654. The access hatch652 can be used for any purpose commonly used in the art including, butnot limiting to a safe, a track for wiring or other electricalconnections, a track for plumbing, a drain to capture moisture, etc. Theadvantages are that the access carpet tile 654 blends in visually withthe other carpet tiles 651 and does not disclose the location of theelement, panel, hatch, or the like 652 unless so desired. The elementmay be smaller than a single carpet tile, as illustrated in FIGS. 22 and23 or the element may include the entire area of a room being carpeted,as would be done with a raised floor, or any size therebetween.

[0150] One advantage of the present invention is the water or vaporpermeability of the cushion backed carpet tile system. Prior art carpettiles require the use of adhesives, as previously mentioned, toeliminate the problems associated with excessive cup and curl of thecarpet tile and/or less than desired dimensional stability. The adhesiveis spread over the entire floor thereby creating a vapor barrier betweenthe floor and the carpet tile. If any moisture is trapped under theadhesive either at installation or from seepage such as is common onconcrete floors, the adhesive may become dislodged or the water maycause mildew to propagate. The carpet tiles of the present invention donot require the adhesive and therefore do not require the use of a vaporbarrier. The seams between carpet tiles, while visually obscured by thepile, allow vapor to transit through the tile without consequence.Therefore, if moisture is under the carpet tile it can be absorbed intothe room air. Also, if desired, any moisture on the carpet surface canrun out through the seam and be collected in a drain element asdescribed in reference to FIG. 23. Therefore, the carpet tiles of thepresent invention provide a water permeable flooring system.

[0151] In accordance to one example of the present invention, noadhesive modular carpet tile samples of Example I below were testedusing the test as described below. Test Method Conducted ASTM D-5252Hexapod Drum Tester ISO/TR 10361 Hexapod Tumbler Ratings Based on CRITM-101 Photographic Scales Aachener Test (DIN Standard 54318)

[0152] APPARATUS: WIRA INSTRUMENTATION HEXAPOD TUMBLER CARPET TESTER

[0153] PROCEDURE

[0154] The test specimen was subjected to the reported cycles of“Hexapod” tumbling, removing the specimen every 2,000 cycles forrestoration by vacuuming.

[0155] An Electrolux upright vacuum cleaner (Discovery II) was used,making four (4) forward and backward passes along the length of thespecimen.

[0156] The samples were assessed using daylight equivalent verticallighting (1500 lux). Samples were viewed at an angle of 45 degrees from1½ meter distance, judging from all directions.

[0157] The samples were also measured for pile height before and aftertesting to obtain a pile height retention value.

[0158] The test for dimensional stability, commonly referred to as theAachener test, determines the change in size of a textile resulting fromtreatments such as heating, wetting and drying. Change is reported as achange in proportion of the dimensions of the test sample with normalclimate changes as defined in DIN 50 014. A shrinking sample is reportedas a negative (−) result and an enlargement is reported as a positive(+) result. As would be apparent it is most desirable to have a productwith a test result of zero (0) indicating no dimensional change. Thelarger the absolute value of the sample the more dimensional changesoccur. It is extremely critical for the present invention to haveminimal dimensional changes as a result of changes in environment. Ifthe carpet tiles shrink the seams become exposed and the appearance isunsightly. If the carpet tiles expand the seams bulge which is bothunsightly and a tripping hazard. For the purposes of the presentinvention the tiles need dimensional stability as measured by Aachenertest. TEST RESULTS Number of Hexapod Cycles 4000 12000 Color Change 3-43 Pile Height Retention 89.4% 74.8% Overall Appearance Change 4 3

[0159] The invention may be further understood by reference to thefollowing examples which are not to be construed as unduly limiting theinvention which is to be defined and construed in light of the appendedclaims.

EXAMPLE I

[0160] A tufted carpet was produced by the apparatus, and process,illustrated and described in relation to FIG. 2. The carpet produced hasthe configuration illustrated and described in relation to FIG. 3A. Theproduction parameters were as follows: Yarn 15 ounces per sq. yd. nylon6,6 loop pile continuous filament Primary Backing 4 ounces per sq. yd.nonwoven polyester Pre-coat 16 ounces per sq. yd. SBR Latex filled with100 parts CaCO₂ Hot Melt Adhesive 42 ounces per sq. yd. modifiedpolypropylene Laminate Reinforcement 2 ounces per sq. yd. Nonwoven glasswith acrylic binder Urethane Foam Coverage 20 ounces per sq. yd.Urethane Foam Density 16 pounds per cubic foot Backing Material 4 ouncesper sq. yd. Nonwoven (50% polypropylene, 50% polyester)

EXAMPLE II

[0161] Construction Tufted, Textured Loop Pile Face Fiber 100% MillikenCertified WearOn ® Nylon Soil Protectant MilliGuard ® AntimicrobialBioCare ® Dye Method Millitron ® Dye Injection Printing Gauge 1/10 in.(39.4/10 cm.) Rows 14.4/in. (56.7/10 cm.) Tufts 143.9/sq.in. (2230.3/100sq.cm.) Standard Backing PVC-Free UNDERSCORE ™ cushion Nominal TotalThickness 0.34 in. (8.6 mm) Total Weight 99.9 oz./sq.yd. (3,387.4g./sq.m.) Tile Size 36 × 36 in. (914.4 × 914.4 mm) Flammability (RadiantPanel ≧0.45 (Class I) ASTM-E-648) Smoke Density (NFPA-258-T or ≦450ASTM-E-662) Methenamine Pill Test (CPSC Self-Extinguishing FF-1-70 orASTM D 2859) Lightfastness (AATCC 16E) ≧4.0 at 80 hrs. Crocking (AATCC165) ≧4.0 wet or dry Static Electricity (AATCC- ≦3.5 KV 134) 20%R.H.,70° F. Dimensional Stability - ≦0.2% Aachener test (DIN Standard54318) Recommended Traffic Heavy Commercial Recommended MaintenanceMillicare ® CRI Indoor Air Quality Product Type:12200793

EXAMPLE III

[0162] Construction Tufted, Textured Loop Pile Face Fiber 100% MillikenCertified WearOn ® Nylon Soil Protectant MilliGuard ® AntimicrobialBioCare ® Dye Method Millitron ® Gauge 1/10 in. (39.4/10 cm.) Rows14.4/in. (56.7/10 cm.) Tufts 143.9/sq.in. (2230.3/100 sq.cm.) StandardBacking PVC-Free UNDERSCORE ™ cushion Nominal Total Thickness 0.34 in.(8.6 mm.) Total Weight 99.9 oz./sq.yd. (3,387.4 g./sq.m.) Tile size 36 ×36 in. (914.4 × 914.4 mm.) Flammability (Radiant Panel ≧0.45 (Class I)ASTM-E-648) Smoke Density (NFPA-258-T or ≦450 ASTM-E-662) MethenaminePill Test(CPSCFF- Self-Extinguishing I-770 or ASTM D 2859) Lightfastness(AATCC 16E) ≧4.0 at 80 hrs. Crocking (AATCC 165) ≧4.0 wet or dry StaticElectricity (AATCC- ≦3.5 KV 134) 20% R.H., 70° F. DimensionalStability - ≦0.2% Aachener Text (DIN Standard 54318) Recommended TrafficHeavy Commercial Recommended Maintenance MilliCare ® CRI Indoor AirQuality Product Type:12200793

[0163] Comfort Rating

[0164] 1. Gmax—Gmax simulates footfall onto a surface. The measure isreported as multiples of “g” (gravities), or Gmax. The lower the value,the lower the force upon impact, and the more comfortable underfoot theproduct feels. The higher the value, the higher the force upon impact,and the less comfortable the carpet feels. Gmax Test Results Standardweight cushion-backed carpet tile 116 Low weight cushion backed carpettile 129 Standard commercial broadloom without underlayment 185 Standardhardback carpet tile, such as Everwhere a PVC 227 hardback

[0165] Resilience Rating

[0166] Cushion Resilience—Cushion resiliency measures the reboundpercent of a metal ball when dropped from a standard height. It showsthe shock absorbing character of the cushion, which helps reduce visiblewear of the carpet face. The higher the value, the higher the reboundpercent, and the more resilient the cushion. Resilience Results Standardweight cushion backed carpet tile 30 Low weight polyurethane cushionback carpet tile 27 Standard commercial broadloom without underlayment17 Standard hardback carpet tile 13

[0167] Appearance Retention

[0168] Appearance Retention Rating (ARR)—the ARR value is determined bygrading the appearance change of carpet subjected to exposure conditionsin accordance with either the ASTM D-5252 (Hexapod) or ASTM D-5417(Vettermann) test method using the number of cycles for short andlong-term tests specified.

[0169] ARR—Light (short-term>/=3.0, long-term>/=2.5

[0170] ARR—Moderate (short-term>/=3.5, long-term>/=3.0

[0171] ARR—Heavy (short-term>/=4.0, long-term>/=3.5

[0172] The low weight modular carpet tile of the present invention hadan APR of about 4.0 short term and 3.5 long term.

[0173] In the specification there has been set forth preferredembodiments of the invention, and although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not forpurpose of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaims.

I claim:
 1. A cushion backed carpet tile suitable for use inadhesive-free installations, said carpet tile comprising: an uppertextile surface; and a layer of foam material, said layer of foammaterial being functionally secured beneath said upper textile surface,and said layer of foam material being adapted to provide cushioning to aforce pressing against said upper textile surface, said carpet tilehaving a plurality of corners wherein each of said corners has a cup ofabout {fraction (3/16)}″ or less and a curl of about {fraction (1/16)}″or less.
 2. The cushion backed carpet tile according to claim 1, whereineach of said corners has a cup of about {fraction (2/16)}″ or less and acurl of about {fraction (1/32)}″ or less.
 3. The cushion backed carpettile of claim 1 wherein each of said corners has a curl of about{fraction (1/32)}″ or less.
 4. The cushion backed carpet tile of claim 1wherein said carpet tile has a thickness of about 0.2 to about 0.55″. 5.The cushion backed carpet tile of claim 2 wherein each of said cornershas a curl of about {fraction (1/32)}″ or less.
 6. The cushion backedcarpet tile of claim 1 wherein said foam material has a thickness ofabout 0.10 to about 0.25″.
 7. The cushion backed carpet tile of claim 1wherein said foam material has a thickness of about 0.20″.
 8. Thecushion backed carpet tile of claim 1 wherein said foam material ispolyurethane.
 9. The cushion backed carpet tile of claim 1 furthercomprising a backing layer secured to said foam material opposite tosaid upper textile surface.
 10. The cushion backed carpet tile of claim9 wherein said backing layer comprises about 40-100% by weight polyesterand about 0-60% by weight polypropylene.
 11. The cushion backed carpettile of claim 10 wherein said backing layer comprises about 40 to about80% by weight polyester and about 20 to about 60% by weightpolypropylene.
 12. The cushion backed carpet tile of claim 11 whereinsaid backing layer comprises about 50% polyester and about 50%polypropylene.
 13. The cushion backed carpet tile of claim 9 whereinsaid backing layer is a felt layer.
 14. The cushion backed carpet tileof claim 1 wherein said cushion backed carpet tile has a coefficient ofsliding friction which is higher than its peel strength.
 15. The cushionbacked carpet tile of claim 1 wherein said Upper textile surface is apile fabric.
 16. The cushion backed carpet tile of claim 1 wherein saidupper textile surface comprises a tufted or bonded pile fabric.
 17. Anadhesive free cushion backed carpet tile installation comprising: aplurality of carpet tiles positioned in an abutting relationshiprelative to each other and substantially freely overlying apredetermined surface, wherein each of said carpet tiles has a pluralityof corners, with said corners having a cup of about {fraction (3/16)}″or less and a curl of about {fraction (1/16)}″ or less.
 18. The adhesivefree cushion backed carpet tile installation according to claim 17,wherein each of said corners has a cup of about {fraction (2/16)}″ orless.
 19. The adhesive free cushion backed carpet tile installation ofclaim 17 wherein each of said corners has a curl of about {fraction(1/32)}″ or less.
 20. The adhesive free cushion back carpet tileinstallation of claim 17 wherein each of said carpet tiles has acoefficient of sliding friction of which is higher than its peelstrength.
 21. A method of laying no adhesive cushion backed carpet tileon to a surface, comprising the steps of: a) reversibly securing atleast one indicator carpet tile to said surface with a securing deviceor means; b) placing a second carpet tile on said surface wherein saidsecond carpet tile and said indicator carpet tile abut; c) placing athird carpet tile on said surface wherein said third carpet tile abutsat least one of said indicator carpet tile and said second carpet tile;d) placing at least one subsequent carpet tile on said surface whereinsaid subsequent carpet tile abuts at least one of said indicator carpettile, said second carpet tile and said third carpet tile; e) removingsaid indicator carpet tile and removing said securing device or means;and f) replacing said indicator tile or a carpet tile in a locationvacated by said indicator carpet tile.
 22. The method of laying noadhesive cushion backed carpet tile of claim 21 wherein said thirdcarpet tile abuts said second carpet tile.
 23. The method of laying lowadhesive cushion backed carpet tile of claim 21 wherein said thirdcarpet tile abuts said indicator tile.
 24. The method of laying lowadhesive cushion backed carpet tile of claim 21 wherein said subsequentcarpet tile abuts said indicator tile.
 25. The method of laying lowadhesive cushion backed carpet tile of claim 21 wherein said subsequentcarpet tile abuts said second carpet tile.
 26. The method of laying lowadhesive cushion backed carpet tile of claim 21 wherein said subsequentcarpet tile abuts said third carpet tile.
 27. The method of laying lowadhesive cushion backed carpet tile of claim 21 wherein said subsequentcarpet tile abuts said indicator carpet tile and said third carpet tile.28. The method of laying low adhesive cushion backed carpet tile ofclaim 21 wherein said indicator tile is placed in substantially thecenter of the surface.
 29. The method of laying low adhesive cushionbacked carpet tile of claim 21 further comprising the step of repeatingsaid step of placing additional subsequent carpet tile until saidsurface is substantially covered.
 30. The method of laying no adhesivecushion backed carpet tile of claim 21 wherein each of said cushionbacked carpet tile has a cup of about {fraction (3/16)}″ or less and acurl of about {fraction (1/16)}″ or less.
 31. The method of laying lowadhesive cushion backed carpet tile of claim 21 further comprising thestep of treating said surface to enhance the cofficient of frictionthereof.
 32. A method of reversibly laying cushion backed carpet tile ona surface, comprising the steps of: a) increasing the coefficient offriction of said surface; b) laying an indicator carpet tile on saidsurface; c) placing a second carpet tile on said surface wherein saidsecond carpet tile and said indicator carpet tile abut; d) placing athird carpet tile on said surface wherein said third carpet tile abutsat least one of a group consisting of said indicator carpet tile andsaid second carpet tile; and e) placing at least one subsequent carpettile on said surface wherein said subsequent carpet tile abuts at leastone of said indicator carpet tile, said second carpet tile and saidthird carpet tile.
 33. A modular floor covering system for covering afloor wherein said modular floor covering system comprises amultiplicity of cushion backed carpet tiles wherein said cushion backedcarpet tiles freely release from said floor.
 34. The modular floorcovering system of claim 33 wherein said cushion backed carpet tiles areinhibited from lateral displacement.
 35. The modular floor coveringsystem of claim 34 wherein said cushion backed carpet tiles comprise anupper textile surface with yarn protruding from a topside thereof; apolyurethane cushion attached to a bottom side of said upper textilesurface; and felt attached to said polyurethane cushion opposite to saidupper textile surface wherein said cushion backed carpet comprises aplurality of corners and said corners have a cup and about {fraction(3/16)}″ or less and curl of about {fraction (1/16)}″ or less.
 36. Themodular floor covering system of claim 35 further comprising areinforcement layer between said upper textile surface and saidpolyurethane cushion.
 37. The modular floor covering system of claim 36wherein said reinforcement layer is fiberglass.
 38. The modular floorcovering system of claim 35 wherein said upper textile surface comprisesa yarn and a primary backing.
 39. The modular floor covering system ofclaim 38 wherein said cushion backed carpet tile further comprises apre-coat backing layer.
 40. The modular floor covering system of claim39 wherein said pre-coat backing layer is latex.
 41. The modular floorcovering system of claim 35 wherein said upper textile surface comprisesa yarn and adhesive.
 42. The modular floor covering system of claim 41further comprising a scrim between said upper textile surface and saidpolyurethane cushion.
 43. The modular floor covering system of claim 35further comprising a latex pre-coat adhesive between said upper textilesurface and said polyurethane cushion.
 44. The modular floor coveringsystem of claim 43 further comprising a reinforcement layer between saidupper textile surface and said polyurethane cushion.
 45. The modularfloor covering system of claim 44 wherein said reinforcement layer isfiberglass.
 46. The modular floor covering system of claim 35 furthercomprising a hot melt adhesive between said upper textile surface andsaid polyurethane cushion.
 47. The modular floor covering system ofclaim 46 further comprising a reinforcement layer between said hot meltadhesive and said polyurethane cushion.
 48. The modular floor coveringsystem of claim 47 wherein said reinforcement layer is fiberglass.
 49. Amodular floor covering system comprising a multiplicity of cushionbacked carpet tiles wherein each said carpet tile is interchangeablewith at least one other said carpet tile and wherein said carpet tilescan be moved to alter a pattern on said multiplicity of cushion backedcarpet tiles.
 50. A modular floor covering system comprising amultiplicity of installed cushion backed carpet tiles on a surface andat least one replacement cushion backed carpet tile not on said surfacewherein said replacement cushion backed carpet tile has an identicalpattern to at least one of said installed cushion backed carpet tile andwherein said at least one installed cushion backed carpet tile can bereplaced by said replacement cushion backed carpet tile.
 51. A cushionbacked carpet tile which is suitable for use without adhesivecomprising: an upper textile surface with yarn protruding from a topsidethereof; a polyurethane cushion attached to a bottom side of said uppertextile surface; and a reinforcement layer between said upper textilesurface and said polyurethane cushion, wherein said cushion backedcarpet comprises a plurality of corners and said corners have a cup andabout {fraction (3/16)}″ or less and curl of about {fraction (1/16)}″ orless.
 52. The cushion backed carpet tile of claim 51 further comprisingfelt attached to said polyurethane cushion opposite to said uppertextile surface.
 53. The cushion backed carpet tile of claim 51 whereinsaid reinforcement layer is fiberglass.
 54. The cushion backed carpettile of claim 51 wherein said upper textile surface comprises a yarn anda primary backing.
 55. The cushion backed carpet tile of claim 54wherein said cushion backed carpet tile further comprises a pre-coatbacking layer.
 56. The cushion backed carpet tile of claim 55 whereinsaid pre-coat backing layer is latex.
 57. The cushion backed carpet tileof claim 51 wherein said upper textile surface comprises a yarn andadhesive.
 58. The cushion backed carpet tile of claim 57 furthercomprising a scrim between said upper textile surface and saidpolyurethane cushion.
 59. The cushion backed carpet tile of claim 51further comprising a latex pre-coat adhesive between said upper textilessurface and said polyurethane cushion.
 60. The cushion backed carpettile of claim 59 further comprising felt attached to said polyurethanecushion opposite to said upper textile surface.
 61. The cushion backedcarpet tile of claim 60 wherein said reinforcement layer is fiberglass.62. The cushion backed carpet tile of claim 60 further comprising a hotmelt adhesive between said upper textile surface and said polyurethanecushion.
 63. The cushion backed carpet tile of claim 62 furthercomprising a reinforcement layer between said hot melt adhesive and saidpolyurethane cushion.
 64. The cushion backed carpet tile of claim 63wherein said reinforcement layer is fiberglass.
 65. A carpet tilesuitable for use in adhesive-free installations, said carpet tilecomprising: an upper pile fabric surface; a layer of foam material, saidlayer of foam material being functionally secured beneath said upperpile fabric surface, and said layer of foam material being adapted toprovide cushioning to a force pressing against said upper pile fabricsurface, and said carpet tile having a plurality of corners wherein eachof said corners has a cup of about {fraction (3/16)}″ or less and a curlof about {fraction (1/16)}″ or less.
 66. A carpet tile suitable for usein adhesive-free installations, said carpet tile comprising: an upperpile textile surface with a fiber face weight of 12-40 ounces per squareyard; a layer of foam material, said layer of foam material beingfunctionally secured beneath said upper pile textile fabric surface andsaid foam material has a thickness of 0.10 to 0.25″; said layer of foammaterial being adapted to provide cushioning to a force pressing againstsaid upper textile surface, and said carpet tile having a plurality ofcorners wherein each of said corners has a cup of about {fraction(3/16)}″ or less and a curl of about {fraction (1/16)}″ or less.
 67. Thecarpet tile of claim 66 further comprising a backing material secured tosaid foam material opposite to said upper pile textile surface.
 68. Thecarpet tile of claim 67 wherein said backing material is present in anamount of about 2-4 ounces per yard.
 69. The carpet tile of claim 67wherein said backing material is felt.
 70. The carpet tile of claim 67wherein said backing material comprises about 40-100% by weightpolyester and 0-60% by weight polypropylene.
 71. The carpet tile ofclaim 70 further comprising a stabilizing layer between said upper piletextile surface and said layer of foam material.
 72. A permeable floorcovering system comprising: a multiplicity of cushion backed carpettiles wherein each of said multiplicity of cushion backed carpet tilescomprise: an upper textile surface with yarn protruding from a topsidethereof; a polyurethane cushion attached to a bottom side of said uppertextile surface; and a plurality of corners with each said corner havinga cup of about {fraction (3/16)}″ or less and curl of about {fraction(1/16)}″ or less.
 73. A flooring system for installation on a floor,comprising: an element; a carpet tile adapted for adhesive freeinstallation over the element and having corners with each corner havinga cup of about {fraction (3/16)}″ or less and a curl of about {fraction(1/16)}″ or less.
 74. The flooring system of claim 73 wherein saidcarpet tile comprises an upper textile surface with yarn protruding froma topside thereof; and a polyurethane cushion attached to a bottom sideof said upper textile surface.
 75. Th flooring system of claim 73,wherein said element is at least one of a sensor, electrical wire, cableor connection, plumbing, telephone line or connection, computer cable orconnection, computer network cable or connection, other wire or cable,conduit, access panel, safe, or the like.
 76. The flooring system asrecited in claim 73, wherein the item is a sensor for monitoring heat,humidity, pedestrian traffic, pressure, temperature, or the like. 77.The flooring system as recited in claim 73, wherein said floor is raisedflooring which provides access to electrical, plumbing, telephone,computer, network, or internet cables, wires, conduits, or the like. 78.A modular changeable at will floor system, comprising: a plurality ofadhesive free carpet tiles, which can be removed, reorganized, replaced,changed out, moved from one room to another, moved from one area toanother, update inlays replaced, and the like.